1. Field of the Invention
Light conductive fibers have external diameters ranging between 50 and 150 .mu.. The transmission of light energy is restricted to the core of the fiber and to its immediate neighborhood; wherein, the core dimensions comprise diameters of only a few microns. Because of the small dimensions of the fiber cores, the process of connecting the light conductive fibers to each other or connecting the light conductive fibers to terminal equipment having very small light exit or entry areas is painstakingly difficult and extreme precision is required in order to avoid lateral offset between the connecting elements.
2. Prior Art
CONNECTING PLUGS FOR CONNECTING TWO GLASS FIBERS ARE KNOWN TO THE ART. These comprise a capillary tube with an internal diameter slightly larger than the external diameter of the corresponding fiber to be connected. Increasing steadily in an outward direction, the glass fibers to be connected are introduced into the internal diameter of the capillary tube in such a fashion that the two fiber ends touch one another in the central section of the capillary tube. In order to achieve a high coupling efficiency, precise adjustments are required at this point so that the end portions of the two cylindrical glass fibers come to be located precisely in the short zone of the plug, which has the smallest internal diameter, so that the fiber axes are not offset in relation to one another.
In an article which appeared in NTZ, edition 10, 1972, pages 452 to 455, S. Maslowski describes a detachable plug-in connection for fiber optic wave guides, which exhibits coupling losses of less than 0.4 dB. The fibers are held eccentrically in pins which are in turn eccentrically guided in bushings. By rotating the pins in relation to one another, optimum coupling of the fiber ends can be manualy effected with adequate precision. However, this precise adjustment can only be achieved by trial and error.